This invention relates to reciprocating fluid pumps and particularly to novel one-way valve means for such pumps.
A common weakness of one-way valves or check valves such as are used in fluid pumps is the likelihood of the valves to become clogged with solid foreign matter, particularly when such pumps are used as bilge pumps or in other instances where the fluid being pumped may contain debris of one kind or another.
When such valves of the prior art are clogged by foreign matter they fail to close and the output of the pump is greatly reduced or may cease altogether.
Similar difficulties are encountered in the case of check valves which are urged to closed position by mechanical springs. If the spring breaks or becomes fouled in some way the output of the pump is similarly reduced or ceased entirely.